It's Time To Address The Health Care Shortage

It’s not exactly breaking news that our health care system isn’t in the best of health. A quick scan of recent headlines highlights the wide variety of problems plaguing the healthcare sector. For example, a new report shows that medical errors may be the third leading cause of death in the United States.[1] A uniquely different challenge is caused by the growing trend of high impact hacks hindering hospital systems—a situation that has already happened a few times this year.

And the problem is going to be compounded by current generational trends. As baby boomers get older and people are living on average longer, not only are we going to need a larger workforce, we’re going to need a workforce that is specifically skilled to handle an aging population’s unique needs and can adjust to the expected complications of living to an older age. We can, and do, expect an increase in the prevalence of individuals with risk of stroke, heart disease, kidney failure and many other issues that develop at higher rates among the elderly. However, we don’t expect this to be accompanied by a corresponding increase in health professionals.

The growing shortfall will create additional problems and challenges for a healthcare system that Americans are already worried about. A recent survey conducted by Morning Consult on behalf of the University of Phoenix® found that almost four out of five (79 percent) respondents are concerned about the quality of the health care they receive, and over two thirds (71 percent) are concerned about medical errors.

If we are going address these challenges, we need to we need to have a large, well-educated workforce of skilled clinicians, and we need to educate them now.

[1] Source: Markary, MA and Daniel, Michael. Medical error – the third leading cause of death in the US. BMJ 2016;353:i2139